Legalized Marijuana in 2016; The next State to Legalize Marijuana could be Nevada

byAlex Averin

The State of legal marijuana in the United States:

Almost half of the states in the U.S. have instituted laws that permit the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes. 23 states have decriminalized medicinal marijuana use and 4 other states have passed legislation that opens doors for recreational marijuana use. Last month’s Gallup poll reveals that 58 percent of Americans support legalized marijuana and that 8 out of 10 Americans support the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes. This poll shows that the momentum for marijuana reform in the U.S. continues to build. So it turns out that the question is not if any states will have marijuana reform measures on the ballot in 2016, but how many states will have marijuana reform measures on their ballots in 2016. Recreational marijuana support has reached record levels of approval and several states are expected to move forward next year with additional marijuana reform.

Which States May Move Forward with Recreational Marijuana Reform in 2016:

Most recently, the state of Ohio made headlines last month when voters came to the polls with the option to legalize marijuana for recreational use. It didn’t happen, but not because people there did not support marijuana reform. Several factors played a part in the marijuana reform initiative being defeated in Ohio last month, but the most influential factor may have been that voters did not agree with the business foundation that would have been created given voter approval. People feared that the initiative in Ohio was flawed and would have given too much power to certain land and business owners. A marijuana monopoly of sorts. However, just because reform measures failed in Ohio does not make it likely that reform measures will fail elsewhere. Other states are gearing up for a marijuana reform push in 2016, including Nevada.

Marijuana Reform Ballot Measure 2016:

The Nevada Marijuana Legalization initiative will be on the November 2016 ballot. This initiative, given voter approval, would legalize the recreational use of up to one ounce or less of marijuana for adults 21 years of age or older. A 15 percent excise tax would be imposed and the tax revenue generated from marijuana sales throughout the state would be used to fund and develop K-12 education programs, as well as providing funds for enforcement of regulations associated with the initiative. The act in the state of Nevada is known as the Regulation and Taxation of Marijuana Act.

Given the momentum that is building for reform in Nevada, and across the U.S., Nevada may be the fifth state to make the recreational use of marijuana legal.